Dhaka: Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir on Tuesday warned that the government will not tolerate any attempt to create artificial crisis or manipulate market, saying no group or individual will be allowed to hold the market hostage. ‘This is a country of 180 million people. No group or individual can take the market hostage,’ he said while speaking to reporters after a meeting of the task force on commodity prices and market situation at the Ministry of Commerce.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the minister addressed concerns about a recent fuel price hike, describing it as ‘modest’ and unlikely to accelerate inflation. He highlighted that the global situation, particularly the conflict in the Middle East, has been exerting pressure on fuel and supply chains. ‘The government is closely monitoring the situation and the import flow remains stable,’ he assured.
Responding to queries about the soybean oil supply, Muktadir acknowledged a limited supply of bottled oil but confirmed that loose oil is available in sufficient quantity. He emphasized that the government is vigilant against any attempts to charge prices beyond the fixed rate and is prepared to take necessary action.
Muktadir reiterated that any unreasonable price increase or creation of artificial shortages is unacceptable. Addressing traders, he stated that the market cannot be influenced through speculation and that prices must reflect the actual impact of increased fuel costs.
The minister urged businesspeople and other stakeholders to have confidence in the government, noting that efforts are underway to introduce a stable pricing mechanism to ensure a more balanced market in the future.